Master Wen exchanged several cups of wine with Jingrong and spoke some polite words, then began inquiring about Ji Yunshu.

“I’ve heard that Master Ji is from Jinjiang?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you go to the capital?”

“Coincidence.”

“Then I wonder what Master Ji did previously in Jinjiang? And who else is in your family?”

Taking a census!

However, Ji Yunshu patiently answered each question. “I previously also worked at the Jinjiang yamen. As for my family… there’s no one left.”

Right, no one left!

All dead!

She had already been expelled from the Ji family, so naturally outside she couldn’t say she was from the Ji family. To put it bluntly, she was an orphan kicked out of the Ji family genealogy.

No father, no mother.

Upon hearing this, Master Wen felt somewhat sorrowful!

He said, “If Master Ji doesn’t mind, in the future you can come visit the residence more often. This humble one would very much welcome it.”

“Thank you for Master Wen’s invitation. If there’s an opportunity, I will certainly come visit.”

Actually, by this time she had already sensed something peculiar. First there was Madam Wen’s excessive concern for her, then Master Wen questioning her like this—it was really too strange!

After drinking several cups of tea, she excused herself to use the privy and went out for a bit.

A young servant led her.

The Wen residence was very large, and its layout was also quite elegant.

In the back courtyard, there was an entire open space with many large and small dye vats arranged neatly. The dyes in the vats were of various colors, appearing very striking reflected in the gray-white moonlight.

Walking further along the corridor to the side, there was another large open space. Here many bamboo racks were placed, with long cloths of different colors hanging to dry.

After Ji Yunshu finished using the privy, on her way back, she passed by a room.

The door handle of that room had two locks on it. Moreover, judging by the material of the locks, they were definitely superior quality—absolutely couldn’t be opened without keys.

Being nosy, she asked the young servant, “Why does this room have two locks on it?”

The young servant said, “This is the master’s study. It’s been locked for some years now, not allowing anyone to enter.”

“Oh? Could there be something inside?”

“That’s unclear. In any case, the master won’t let anyone enter, and normally doesn’t let people go in to clean either.”

Ji Yunshu nodded and didn’t ask further!

She had a gossipy heart.

She recalled what little Xiyue had said before—that after she found and read some books in her father’s study, her father locked the study door.

Master Wen didn’t seem like that kind of stingy person, and he didn’t seem to have an obsession with treasuring books either. Why would he lock the study door for no good reason?

Inside there… could there really be something hidden?

A secret that couldn’t be let known?

She pondered all the way, and had already reached outside the hall.

Silently took her seat!

After three rounds of wine, everyone discussed some other matters.

That Master Wen then asked, “I wonder what brings the prince to Yufu this time?”

Jingrong picked up his wine and took a sip. “Touring the mountains and waters.”

“The prince has such fine leisure.”

“Not as fine as Master Wen’s leisure, dyeing and drying cloth every day. Such days, this prince is too envious to attain.”

Dyeing cloth?

Drying cloth?

Good days?

Come, come, come—you try doing it, under the scorching sun and frigid winter, dyeing and drying cloth every day. See if you get tired?

Really speaking without experiencing the hardship!

But Master Wen dared not say this, pulling on a smiling face. “The prince makes light of it.”

Jingrong indeed smiled slightly.

At this moment, Muruo, who had been silently drinking all along, stood up, holding a wine pot in his hand. Swaying unsteadily, he walked toward the door and sat directly on the stone steps, admiring the moonlight while tilting his head back to drink.

Before long, Tang Si also followed out, also holding a wine pot in her hand, and sat down beside him.

Muruo glanced at her sideways with disdain. “Why are you following me!”

“Who’s following you? Shameless.”

“Then hurry up and get back inside.”

“This isn’t your place. Why can’t I stay?” Tang Si refuted his words, then calmly and composedly began drinking.

Muruo was too lazy to change locations. He poured a large gulp of wine into his mouth and discovered the wine was gone.

Heartbreaking.

Helpless, and not wanting to go back inside to get more wine, he set his sights on the wine pot in Tang Si’s hand. He reached out, snatched it away in one grab, and without another word poured it into his mouth.

I’ve already drunk it—what can you do to me?

“You…” Tang Si looked at him angrily.

But the next moment, her anger inexplicably subsided. The corners of her mouth instead showed a slight smile. She bit her lower lip and didn’t speak.

Muruo handed the wine back to her.

She took it in her hands and said generously, “Forget it. This young lady isn’t that petty. Everything that happened before is canceled out. However, you still owe me a life.”

Muruo looked at her with narrowed eyes and said, “Rest assured. One day in the future, I will definitely return that life to you.”

Then continued drinking!

In that moment just now, Tang Si’s heart jumped violently—an indescribable feeling. This man had just gained a few more points of favorability in her heart.

Not long after, this meal also ended!

Master Wen and Madam Wen together saw the guests to the main entrance.

“Master Wen, please stay.”

“Respectfully seeing off the prince.”

Jingrong smiled slightly.

Master Wen also said to Ji Yunshu, “Master Ji, no need to see us off.”

“Master Wen, please stay.”

Little Xiyue tugged at Ji Yunshu’s clothes and also said a few words of farewell.

Only then did everyone leave.

After watching them gradually depart into the distance, Master Wen and Madam Wen returned to the hall where the banquet had been held.

Inside, someone was waiting.

That person was none other than Zhao Huai!

Yes, Zhao Huai.

Although he had lost one hand, he didn’t lose any of his fierce warrior image.

Master Wen walked before him, his expression becoming grave, completely changing from his previous amiable and smiling appearance. He sighed. “I never expected that the young heir left behind in this world by the master back then would now be this grown.”

Zhao Huai nodded. “Yes, I also didn’t expect that the young heir was actually still alive. Before my father died, he instructed that no matter what, we must find the young heir. Now, finally, we’ve found them.”

“Heaven has opened its eyes, destined not to let the master’s family die in vain with their grievances.”

Madam Wen on the side began to cry. “That child is so pitiful. If she knew that all her family members died overnight, how heartbroken she would be! Just now when I looked at her eyes, they really resembled the master’s. Heaven truly toys with people.”

Very sad!

Also somewhat resentful.

“Madam, don’t be too sad. Now that we’ve found the young heir, before long, we can seek justice for the master.”

“Yes.” She sobbed, covering her face with a handkerchief.

Zhao Huai’s expression was grave. “Uncle Wen, now is not yet the time. The matter that the young heir is still alive is of great importance. We cannot leak it, lest that dog emperor learn of it and eliminate all traces.”

“I know. What’s most important now is to quickly write letters to various places and gather together the one hundred thousand scattered soldiers dispersed across the land. We’ve waited fourteen years. This day has finally come.”

“Back then, precisely because the master had foresight, he transformed our one hundred thousand troops into bandits scattered across various regions, concealing the military force, and constantly recruited brothers into the strongholds over the years, which is how we could barely maintain the one hundred thousand troops.” Zhao Huai said.

Master Wen sighed again. “It’s just a pity that back then when the one hundred thousand troops were dispersed, the unit scattered to the north disbanded.”

“You’re talking about the Liu gang faction?”

“Exactly.”

“My father mentioned it to me. Later the young heir investigated the case and asked me about that gang.”

“She asked you?”

“Yes, she just gave me a tattoo pattern and asked if I knew about it. I didn’t hide anything and told her everything, but didn’t mention the military unit.”

So it turned out those seven brothers were also a unit of troops scattered from the army of one hundred thousand.